Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-17
OUR HOMES AND OURSELVES.
An Account of What One Woman Has Beer
Able to Accomplish in the Way OF Helpins
Others
New York Star.

Few of US know what capacity for work
lies in us. We are Ignorant of our own
resources. The great results which others
have reached ofte ner than not merely
make US feel ourown hopeless helplessness.
We are conscious of the opportunities
which have made the work of others easy.
but we lose sight of the valiant spirit
which has led them to create their own
opportunities and to overcome obstacles.
For this reason / should like to draw at
tention, when / can from time to time, to
the work done by various women who
have had, in the beginning, quite as
much to overcome in the way of obstacles
as falls to the lot of most of US, and vet
who have, in spite of these developed
systems of charities and industries and
certain lines of business of no mean
value
Ny attention has lately been drawn in
particular to the way in which the Day
Nursery and Industrial School. 266 West
Fortieth street, have been built up and
managed. These owe their existence
entirely to the unselfshness and energy
of Mrs. William Amory, Jr. 1t would be
difficult to exaggerate the value of her
work. Before, however, enter into any
detailed account of what she has accom-
fact that until within the last two months
she has had no pecuniary assistance. For
the five years during which her labors
have been rapidly extending over wider
| range, she has never had but S75 from
outside sources. Now, the Importance of
this fact is vast one, for what lies with
IN the power of one woman to accomplish
lies. If we will develop it, within the pow
a. f,f u
nlzed the Importance and value of GER
tain work to be done. Instead of being
baked of her good intentions by the fact
that the money to cary out her schemes
did not lie in her hands, she merely rous-
ed herself to greater activity, and made
it. Whatever the fashionable world liked
best at the moment she made. Some
times 1t Was pincushion after a design
thai had won royal favor across the sea,
and sometimes it was footstool These
she sold private among her friends or at
fairs In her own home. 1 quote all this
because nave so often heard-as who
among US have not?-that almost univer-
sal cry among the idle d1scontents: eff
only knew what to dol" To them I say
do as Mrs. Armory does; be so full of the
work to be done that you will find out a
way to do it. Keep your eyes open; use
all your power of observation, judgement
and reason, and then don't stop to won
der, but simply do.
There are, l believe, many nurseries in
New York, but in this one has one OR two
featureswhich distinguish it. In the first
place, the women pay nothing for leaving
their work. Mrs. Amory weighed the ques
ton thoroughly. Other managers had
ms ofai nHf hot Sc oil
greater if she contributed something, if
but few pennies, to her child's supports;
but even few pennies Mrs. Amory
found were sometimes too great drain
on the resources of poorly paid,workwom-
men, and nothing was in consequence de-
manded of them.
Now, in connection with this nursery,
there is on the first floor of the house an
industrial school for girls from to six
teen years of age. The object of this
school was not only to provide a place
in which girls at that susceptible age
could be kept out of the streets and away
from their degrading influences, but also
to train them as housewives. Cooking,
washing, ironing and cleaning are taught;
dressmaklng, mending patchwork for
beglnners) and crOcheting. 1t was found
impossible to depend on any but paid
teachers, and here again Mrs. Amory
found an opportunity for extending her
work, and very often the services of
the methods taught, and who were obliged
to increase their income, have been en-
gagged to teach these children. To such
women an opportunity like this is invaI-
liable, and it is one to which 1 wish to
call special attention. To such women it
means an opportunity to enlarge their
own sphere of usefulness, while at the
same time they are able to contribute to
their own self-support. Whatever &C
complishment. therefore, woman pos
sesses, whether it be in the way of sewing
or knitting, can be turned to good &C
count. A few hours only week are de-
manded of them.
A trained laundress teaches washing,
and the clothes washed are those used by
the babies during the day. The child,
for instance who is left by it's mother
must be dressed during its stay in clean
clothes. These clothes, of course, belong
TO the nursery and are kept there, and it
is these which the scholars are taught to
wash.
A skilled dressmaekr teaches the chill
dren to sew and make dresses. And here
again Mrs. Amory follows a most excel
lent plan. Each child pays ten cents a
week for tuition, if she is able or less, &C
cording to her ability. The materials
for the dresses, aprons, ETC., are bought
by Mrs. Amory. They are then made
up by the children under the tuition of
the dressmakers and can then be pur
chased by the child in weekly installment
of even penny, the child only paying
for the amount of material used, which
she gets at less than cost price. But un-
less the money is paid the dress or apron
as the case may be cannot go out of the
establishment. In connection with the
mending, Mrs. Amory trusts in time
to build up quite an industry. This art
is very carefully taught, and many clothes
from outsiders are sent there to be re-
paired.
There is also a library of over eight
hundred books in connection with this
nursery, and any child for ten cents a
month has the privilege of taking books
home.
"This work has been going on for over
five years. The managers have now on
their books the names of over sixty wo-
men whose children are cared for, and